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Peggol vez Menk
|species = |birth = |religion = Polytheism |occupation = |house = (created in the 1990s) |professional affiliations = Hereditary Tyrant's Eyes and Ears }}Peggol vez Menk was a member of the Hereditary Tyrant's Eyes and Ears in Tartesh. He oversaw the investigation of the murder of Dokhnor of Kellef in the Trench Park of the Bottomlands and helped prevent the act of sabotage that the murder signaled. When Dokhnor was murdered, tour guide Radnal vez Krobir informed Liem vez Steries of the Trench Park militia first. Vez Steries lamented that the victim was Morgaffo, and then directed vez Krobir to inform the Eyes and Ears. After vez Steries confirmed he was on his way, vez Krobir spoke with Peggol vez Menk. Vez Menk assured vez Krobir he'd done right to contact the Eyes and Ears, and that they would handle the diplomatic issues. He also ordered ve Krobir to keep the group there, much to their anger.See, e.g., We Install and Other Stories, loc. 2785-2797, ebook. Liem vez Steries and two other militiamen at the murder scene via helicopter first, and began their investigation. They examined the corpse, and took statements from everyone on the tour.Ibid., loc. 2808-2830. Vez Menk and three other Eyes and Ears arrived after the militia took their last statements, and began asserting control over the investigation, much to vez Steries initial consternation. The Eyes and Ears searched the tourists' belongings and interviewed the tourists all over again. Once his own second interview was done, tourguide Radnal vez Krobir asked vez Menk if he could take the tourists out into the Bottomlands as the Tarteshans in his group had asserted their contractual right to a tour and promised legal action if that contract wasn't met. After contemplating it, vez Menk asked if vez Krobir could fight off or capture the murderer if they attacked. Vez Krobir admitted he didn't know. Vez Menk appreciated the honesty, and also realized that the honor of Trench Park, and by extension, the Hereditary Tyrant's honor, was at stake. So vez Menk agreed to allow the tour if he accompanied it.Ibid. 2830-2854.Ibid. 2830-2854. While the Eyes and Ears found pornography in the possession of Lofosa, a Highhead from the Krepalgan Unity, and proof that Dokhor was indeed a soldier (but nothing proving he was a spy), they found nothing that pointed to the murderer.Ibid., loc. 2866-2912. The next morning, the tour set out, with Peggol vez Menk in tow. After he spent an uncomfortable day on the back of a donkey, the group headed back to the lodge, much to vez Menk's relief.Ibid., loc. 3105-3150 The investigators at the lodge greeted the group, and the two attendants informed vez Krobir that they had information. Peggol vez Menk overheard, and ordered them to wait until a more private moment.Ibid., loc. 3105-3150 After several hours, the Tarteshans were able to meet alone. Liem vez Steries informed vez Krobir that the Eyes and Ears had found a mircoprint reader hidden in one of the Morgaffo's artist's charcoals. The reader revealed that an unknown party had, over the course of years, smuggled the parts of a starbomb into the park with the goal of destroying the Barrier Mountains and flooding the park by detonating it in one of the faultlines.Ibid., loc. 3150-3184. Radnal vez Krobir, Liem vez Steries, and Peggol vez Menk now pondered their next course of action. They agreed the attack, which would send the Western Ocean to the shores of the Krepalgan Unity and kill countless millions, might be possible. Vez Menk also offered the possiblity that Morgaf had created an elaborate ruse. When Radnal informed the other men that the itinerary for the next day would have brought the tour west to the fault line in question, Peggol vez agreed that it would be better to change the plan, even though it would tip off the culprit.Ibid., loc. 3184-3231. The next day, vez Krobir informed everyone about the change of plan. Almost immediately, everyone wondered why they were headed east, until Peggol vez Menk angrily informed everyone that the change was on his orders. While there were still some complaints, the tourists were mostly resigned, and they were soon off. The trip brought the to the Night Demons' Retreat, a cave that was known for bats, vipers, scorpions, and the ominous sound the wind made as it passed through. After a brief encounter with a cave cat, the group returned to the lodge.Ibid., loc. 3235-3509. When the group returned, Liem vez Steries informed vez Krobir and vez Menk that government had ordered interrogation the next day, even though it might mean an international incident.Ibid., loc. 3509-3556. That night, the two Krepalgan women began going back and forth to the privy. Evillia even asked for a constipant. After several trips, Peggol vez Menk informed him that the Krepalgans had left for the privy and had not returned. He informed Radnal vez Krobir. Both men realized that the two could be the culprits. In short order, the helos outside exploded, and vez Krobir discovered that the radio was broken.Ibid., loc. 3590-3625. The group ran out to the donkey stable. Liem vez Steries opened the door, and was promptly killed by an explosive booby-trap. Vez Krobir went into the stable and found that all the donkeys were dead, save for three taken by the Krepalgans.Ibid., loc. 3625. For a brief moment there was hope; the government in Tarteshem, which hadn't heard from the group, sent another helo. However, it landed in several more explosive booby-traps the Krepalgans had planted on the landing pad and exploded. With no other plan, vez Krobir and vez Menk agreed to wait until light, gather supplies, send the rest of the tourists out of the Bottomlands, and then pursue the saboteurs on foot.Ibid., loc. 3647. As they discussed their plans, Moblay Sopsirk's son revealed that he wasn't as ineffectual as he let on, but was himself a Silent Servant, one of the secret police of Principality of Lissonland, sent by his Prince to help prevent the destruction of the Bottomlands. He explained that Morgaf had alerted Lissonland, as the Morgaffos wanted Lissonland's help in attacking Tartesh after the flood. Radnal vex Krobir realized that Krepalga would be in the best position to exploit the new sea created when the Bottomlands flooded.Ibid., loc. 3659-3681. Moblay offered his help, but vez Menk declined.Ibid., loc. 3681. The three returned to the rest of the tourists and told them what was happening. Vez Krobir told them to take all the water they could and head for higher ground. After they were outfitted, the groups lit out.Ibid., loc. 3681-3704. Vez Menk and Radnal vez Krobir were joined by Impac vez Potos, another Eye and Ear, the two lodge attendants, and the remaining militia men. After hours of following the trail, the group was spotted by another helo. The pilot confirmed the Krepalgans heading, and informed Vez Krobir that the rest of the tour group had been found.Ibid., loc. 3715-3748. Despite the presence of the helos, vez Krobir resolved to continue the pursuit, knowing helos wouldn't be enough to cover the area. Even as the sky filled with helos, vez Krobir's group tramped along. After a brief tremor, which did not prove to be the explosion they all feared, they were informed by a soldier that the Krepalgan spies were dead.Ibid. loc. 3760-3818 Celebration was short lived when they were informed that the two had already planted the starbomb. The soldier, Turand vez Nital, ordered the group brought to his location. When they arrived, Turand vez Nital confirmed the Krepalgans had taken poison rather than be captured. Vez Krobir tried to pick up the trail again.Ibid., loc. 3829-3852. As they tracked, the group watched a koprit bird kill a skink and throw it on its thorn bush. While they stared at the bush, vez Krobir realized that there were the necklaces the Krepalgans had worn the day before. After examining the necklaces, the group realized that the koprit bird had taken the detonators for the starbomb by pure chance.Ibid., loc. 3852-3875. In short order, Horken vez Sofana found the starbomb. Radnal vez Krobir saw that the timer was at zero, meaning that the bird had defused it just in time.Ibid., loc. 3887-3910. With the danger essentially passed, vez Krobir and Peggol vez Menk discussed what would happen next. The Krepalgans had taken a great deal of time and a number of risks to plant the bomb. Vez Menk suggested some permanent military or Eyes and Ears presence in the park. Realizing the risk, vez Krobir couldn't argue.Ibid., loc. 3910-3921. In the aftermath, Radal vez Krobir, Peggol vez Menk, and the other men who'd made the pursuit on foot were summoned to Tarteshan to personally accept the thanks of the Hereditary Tyrant, Bortav vez Pamdal, and were met with much public fanfare. Vez Menk was awarded with five thousand units of silver and a title of nobility.Ibid., loc. 3921-3977. References